The Unit carries out a broad range of research including studies and trials involving the selection, recruitment and testing (measurement) of large numbers of participants. There are multiple studies running at any one time across the three clinical research facilities in Cambridge, Wisbech and Ely, and within local communities.

To give a sense of the scale of activity, at the beginning of March 2020 there were four studies running concurrently within the field sites, six studies being carried out in the field, and eleven additional studies in varying stages of development. The Unit’s Study Coordination and Field Epidemiology teams are managed by Dr Sylvaine Bruggraber.

Study Coordination team

The Study Coordination team’s main function is to manage the day-to-day operation of these projects. Research participant selection, recruitment and retention involves approaching participants directly using established Unit research databases and through liaison with a wide range of stakeholders to facilitate recruitment of participants into research studies. Stakeholders include GPs, NHS Trusts, NIHR Research Networks, pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, and employer.

An important part of the work of this team is to make sure that recruitment targets are met and that trends in recruitment rates are monitored, so so that we can maximise the number of participants recruited across all of the Unit’s research projects.

The team’s study coordinators and support staff recruit participants in a consistent way, whilst engaging with the scientific programme leaders and operational teams to implement and support the processes of data collection across the Unit’s sites. The team is responsible for monitoring each study in terms of its aims, rate of participant recruitment and completeness of outputs to ensure they remain on target. In addition, the team promotes efficiencies across all of the Unit’s research studies by standardising the approach to study co-ordination.

The team supports PhD students and Career Development Fellows in their individual research studies, providing training, mentoring and support in study co-ordination. This ensures that ethical, governance and research management aspects are considered.

Study team members

• Mayami Abdulla – Study Coordinator
• April Arnold – Study Coordinator
• Sylvaine Bruggraber
• Nicola Kimber – Study Coordinator
• Emma Lachassseigne – Study Coordinator
• Rachael Mack – Study Assistant
• Rebecca Margieson – Study Coordinator
• Steph Moore – Study Coordinator
• Deb Morgan – Study Assistant
• Hannah Pettet – Senior Study Coordination Assistant
• Richard Salisbury – Study Coordinator
• Struan Tait – Senior Study Coordination Assistant
• Fiona Whittle – Study Manager
• Jenny Woolston – Study Coordinator

Field Epidemiology team

The Field Epidemiology team manages the process of data collection for Unit research involving participants at each of our three clinical research sites. It is a multi-skilled team of research nurses, research assistants and clinical research assistants led by site managers. The Field team develops and adapts to meet the requirements of the Unit’s research as protocols are developed, for example, by learning new methods for data collection or testing participants in new locations.

It provides a comprehensive range of clinical, anthropometric, body composition and physical activity measurements, working flexibly across six days of the week. The Field team also work in several GP surgeries, community facilities and educational establishments across East Anglia and provide home study visits, where the protocol permits, for those participants who are unable to travel to a research site.

Field team members

• Juan Pablo Alvarez Ayala – Research Study Assistant
• Trevor Bunch – Field Epidemiology Manager
• Esther Fakeye – Research Nurse
• Colin Farr – Research Site Manager (Ely & Wisbech)
• Douglas Furlong – Research Study Assistant
• Louie Garner – Research Study Assistant
• Stefanie Hollidge – Cambridge Site Coordinator
• Sharon Isigi – Research Study Assistant
• Pricilla Moreira – Research Study Assistant
• Joseph Odonkor Nartey – Clinical Research Assistant
• Shamya Reny – Research Assistant
• Dagmar Slamenik– Senior Research Assistant